The Emperor raised an eyebrow, this former eunuch’s courage really has grew, and not just by a tiny bit.

“你没有什么想说的？”皇帝清冷的开口。

“You don’t have anything you want to say to me?” The Emperor coldly started.

“有。”凌萧目光眷念的望着皇帝，缠缠绵绵的情意从那双似是会说话的眸中流露而出，带了丝依赖。

“I do.” Ling Xiao’s gaze was very fond as he looked at him, it was like his eyes had a voice of their own as his soft affection for the Emperor seem to speak for themselves within his eyes and held a trace of dependence.

皇帝望着，一顿，转开了视线，却也柔和了表情。

The Emperor paused and moved his line of sight, but his expression became much more gentle.

“What is Your Majesty referring to?” Ling Xiao pretended to not know what the other was talking about.

皇帝危险的眯眼，龙威泄出，压迫着凌萧，是在不悦凌萧的装疯卖傻。

The Emperor narrowed his eyes dangerous, his dragon might leaking out to pressure Ling Xiao. He was not pleased with how Ling Xiao was pretending not to know.

“……”凌萧被那眼神望的心下一惊，倒退了一步，倒也想起了皇帝毕竟是皇帝。

“……” Ling Xiao was alarmed by that gaze and fell back a step. He then recalled that the Emperor was the Emperor after all.

凌萧抿唇，带着微微的不甘道：“如果凌萧不这般做，皇上您会这么快来见凌萧吗？”

Ling Xiao pursed his lips, and said with a trace of reluctance, “If Ling Xiao didn’t do that, then would Your Majesty come so quickly to see Ling Xiao?”

“……”皇帝皱眉。

“……” The Emperor made a face at him.

“冉妃之事，凌萧确实有心为之，其一，她耍尽心计来挑拨我与您之间的感情，凌萧什么都能忍，唯独此事不能容忍。”

“The matter with Concubine Ran, Ling Xiao did do it on purpose. She tried her best to come and sow disharmony between our feelings. Ling Xiao can bear anything but that.”

皇帝蠕动了一下唇，似是有话要说，凌萧大胆的打断他道：“其二，若凌萧这里不发生些事，皇上您要冷落凌萧多久呢？”

The Emperor moved his lips, about to say something but Ling Xiao fearlessly interrupted him, “Secondly, if nothing happens at Ling Xiao’s place, just how longer were you going to give Ling Xiao the cold shoulder?”

While he spoke, Ling Xiao then took out the jade from a couple days ago, and laid it in front of the Emperor’s gaze. He pursed his lips and said, “You don’t like Ling Xiao holding onto this, yet you “put up” with Ling Xiao holding onto it. But then you don’t come to Ling Xiao’s palace for several days, how do you think Ling Xiao would think? What do you want Ling Xiao to do?”

说完，凌萧作势要将玉扔掉，皇帝神情一凛，呵斥的话脱口而出：“放肆！”

After he finished speaking, Ling Xiao put on an attitude of wanting to throw the jade away. The Emperor’s gaze instantly went cold, he berated him, “Impudent!”

凌萧一顿，皇帝已挡在了凌萧的身前，捉住了凌萧抬起的手，阻止了他的动作。

Ling Xiao paused and the other moved in front of him, catching his raised hand to prevent his action.

凌萧愕然，手下一阵疼痛，是皇帝握着自己的手在暗暗用力，凌萧咬牙承受，看向面前的帝王。

Stunned, he felt a burst of pain from the Emperor’s tight hold. He clenched his teeth and bore with it while looking at the monarch in front of him.

除了亲热的时候，这还是凌萧第一次与皇帝这么接近，接近的可以看见他一根根的眼睫毛，长顺的半遮住充满怒气的眼，

Besides when they affectionate, this was actually the first time Ling Xiao was so close him, so close that he could see each eyelash, and the anger in those half-lidded eyes.

发怒的皇帝就宛如发怒的狮子，浑身充满了威胁，原本在凌萧面前已经收起的帝威，此刻倾泻而出，压制的凌萧止不住的颤抖。

An angry Emperor was like an angry lion, a threatening aura covered him. The aura that was originally put away in front of Ling Xiao, now poured out, pressuring Ling Xiao until he could only tremble.

But at the same time, Ling Xiao noticed that when the Emperor said that line, he had added weight to those last five words. This kind of emphasis made it clear to him that the Emperor’s anger was not gone. It was just that he had always been a rational man, his anger did not influence his decisions.

此时，他说要跟自己好好谈谈，也就是要和自己算账，不知为何，思及此，凌萧浑身一颤，心中升起了一些不安。

At this moment, he said he was going to have a nice chat with him, that meant he was going to make him pay. He didn’t know why, but when he thought about it, Ling Xiao started to tremble, a feeling of unease rose in his heart.

皇帝一直斜眼瞧着身侧的凌萧，见他面色变幻，也将他面上的不安瞧的一清二楚。

The Emperor was looking at him from the side the entire time, so he could see his expression changing and clearly make out his unease.

刚刚还张牙舞爪，转瞬间就宛如小猫一般举着粉嫩的爪子试探般的伸出，倏时，内心的强压下怒火消失殆尽。

He had just done from threatening gestures, yet in a moment, it turned into a kitten that was probing him with its tiny claws. The raging anger he had been keeping in check in his heart now almost completely disappeared.

只余这人留在心房，满满涨涨的，牵动着自己的心。

Only this man could stay in his heart, growing and effecting his heart.

皇帝带着无奈的叹息。

The Emperor heaved a sigh that carried his helplessness.

这已经不知是他今天的第几次叹息了，回想起，他过去的年华里，都不曾叹息这般多。

He didn’t even know how many times he had sighed today. When he thought back to his past years, he hadn’t even sigh this many times.

“朕不能找你，你就不懂来找朕吗？”皇帝轻轻的说着，带着一丝苦闷：“朕还能将你拒之门外不成？”

“If We don’t come find you, can’t you come find Us?” The Emperor softly spoke, a hint of depression in his words, “How could We refuse to see you?”

“……”凌萧沉默，自己还真没有想过主动去找皇帝，这几天，赌气一般，就想看看皇帝什么时候会过来。

“……” Ling Xiao went silent, he really hadn’t thought about trying to go find the Emperor. These past few days, like he was peeved, he wanted to see just when was the Emperor going to come see him.

结果，自己这样的赌气，不仅让两人几天没见，还将简单的事情复杂化了，凌萧一阵懊恼。

In the end, his act of being peeved not only caused the two to not see each other for several days, but also made such a simple affair so complicated. Ling Xiao felt annoyed.

眼瞧着凌萧悔恨得五官皱在了一起，宛如幼猫一般，可爱的紧，皇帝微微弯了弯唇角，俯身在凌萧头顶落下一吻。

Eyeing Ling Xiao’s remorseful face that caused his face to wrinkle, it was so adorable like a small cat. The Emperor smiled and leaned over to land a kiss on top of Ling Xiao’s head.

凌萧微微一颤，明明被吻的是头顶，却似是全身肌肤都快烧着了一般，发烫发热。

Ling Xiao trembled a bit, it was obviously his head that was kissed, yet it felt like all the skin on his body was rapidly burning, causing his whole temperature to rise.

凌萧掩饰一般，抬眸说道：“那好，就算这件事你我扯平了，你没来找我，我同样没有去找你，谁也不能怨谁。”

Like he was trying to cover it up, he raised his eyes to look at him and said, “Alright then, let’s consider this matter even. You didn’t come find me, and I didn’t come find you. Neither of us can blame each other.

“恩。”见凌萧面若桃李，皇帝眼神暗了暗，漫不经心的应了一声。

“Hm.” Seeing how Ling Xiao’s face was like a peach, the Emperor’s eyes darken a bit and absent-mindedly answered.

声音沙哑，性感非常。

His voice was husky, full of sex appeal.

凌萧心跳如雷，脑中不由浮现前几日的缠绵，他忙甩了甩头，甩掉脑子里不合时宜的想法，扯回话题道：“皇上，冉妃你打算如何安抚？”

Ling Xiao’s heart jumped like thunder and his mind couldn’t help but recall back to when they tangled together. He quickly shook his head, throwing out that untimely thought from his mind and replied like he was trying to change the subject, “Your Majesty, how are you planning to pacify Concubine Ran?”

皇帝闻言，目光轻移道：“她近日太过猖狂，便冷着罢。”

The Emperor’s gaze was very light as he replied, “She has been too cruel recently, she can cool off.”

“冷着？”凌萧讶然：“您不去探望她？”

“Cool off?” Ling Xiao was surprised, “You aren’t going to visit her?”

“怎么，你希望朕去？”皇帝挑眉不悦的望向凌萧。

“What, you wish for Us to go?” The Emperor raised an eyebrow, displeased.

凌萧连忙摇头：“当然不是，只是她是吏部尚书之女，而朝堂不是在宰相下台之后，权利便倾向于吏部尚书了么，这如今……”

Ling Xiao quickly shook his head, “Of course not, but she is the daughter of the High Official of the Ministry of Appointments. And ever since the Prime Minister fell, the court’s power has been inclining towards him. Nowadays…”

“看来你也不是真正对朝堂之事无知。”皇帝意有所指的说道。

“Looks like you’re not truly ignorant of what is going on in the assembly.” The Emperor somewhat pointedly said.

凌萧被噎了一下，没敢回话，皇帝虽对他宠信有加，但是，涉及到朝堂凌萧还是万分小心的。

Ling Xiao was choked for a moment and did not dare to reply. Although the Emperor doted and trust him to an extreme, Ling Xiao was very careful about getting involved with court matters.

His rabbit-like appearance naturally did not escape the Emperor’s eyes. He squinted his eyes and said in a low voice, “You don’t need to be like this, We are not blaming you. If you are really curious about him, then you can come with Us to the morning assembly tomorrow.”

“早朝？我？”凌萧惊讶。

“Morning assembly? Me?” Ling Xiao was in shock.

皇帝挑眉看向凌萧：“你莫不是忘了，朕将工部尚书的职位交给了你？”

The Emperor raised an eyebrow at him, “Could it be that you have forgotten? We had given the post of High Official of Ministry of Works to you?

“……”那不是一个虚名吗？虽说允许自己听政，但什么时候去听，凌萧可不曾听皇帝说来，皇帝不说，自己怎么敢妄动。

“……” Wasn’t that just a fake position? Although he was allowed to listen to politics, but when he was allowed to go listen to it, he never heard the Emperor say so he didn’t dare to do anything.

Seeing how Ling Xiao’s face was a bit strange, he thought he was feeling pressured and consoled him, “When you’re not present, the former High Official of the Ministry of Works takes your place. You don’t need to be too nervous, when We gave this post to you, we didn’t mean to make you work hard. We only thought of those strange formulas in your mind.”

Ling Xiao’s tone was a bit strange, causing the Emperor’s brows to pull together tightly. Like he was carelessly giving him a glance, he said, “You can also refuse. With Us leading Mu Country, even if we don’t have those strange things of yours, we can also become the strongest under heaven. With your things, it is only extra decoration, there isn’t much meaning.”

皇帝不清楚凌萧脑子里究竟装了多少东西，但这话说得狂妄，状似牧国将永远矗立在世界顶端一般。

The Emperor wasn’t clear about just how many things goes on in Ling Xiao’s mind, but what he said was rather arrogant, like Mu Country will forever be a tower that exists far above.

不过，自上次牧国重创邵国以来，牧国士气大涨，这百年间，天下确实难有敌手。

However, ever since the last time Mu Country inflicted serious damaged onto Shao Country, Mu Country’s morale had greatly rose. In these hundred years, it really was hard finding an opponent for them.

这皇帝，有狂妄的资本。

This Emperor had the capability to be arrogant.

凌萧敛眸，他如今人都跟了皇帝，什么都坦白了，还有什么可保留的？

Ling Xiao rolled his eyes. Nowadays he was following the Emperor and confessed everything, what else does he have in reserve?

“Hm.” Ling Xiao’s heart warmed, and softly replied. His eyes then turned and thought floated up, he wavered for a moment before saying, “Your Majesty, Ling Xiao hopes to handle matters for Your Majesty. But Ling Xiao has a question and wishes Your Majesty can answer.”

皇帝用询问的眼神望向凌萧。

The Emperor used an inquiring gaze on him.

凌萧直视皇帝道：“皇上，红叶在您心里是什么？”

Ling Xiao said it straightforwardly, “Your Majesty, what is Hong Ye in your heart?”

Nothing can be hidden from him. Ling Xiao felt it was rather natural, some things even he knows clearly while the Emperor was a hundred thousand times smarter than him. How could he not know?

但小李子是皇帝身边的人，凌萧虽然刚才疏忽了小李子这件事，却早晚会把小李子交给皇帝处置，可如今，皇帝却反过来问他要怎么处置。

But Xiao Lizi was someone by the Emperor’s side. Although he had neglected the matter with Xiao Lizi just now, it was something the Emperor would had dealt with eventually. Now now, the Emperor had reversed it and asked how he wanted to handle it.

凌萧有些楞然，不由表达意思道：“小李子是跟在皇帝身边的人，自然是由皇上处置。”

Ling Xiao was a bit confused, and expressed himself, “Xiao Lizi is someone by Your Majesty’s side, it should naturally be handled by you.”

皇帝轻轻摇头：“他是你带着的，朕才升他为总管，如今他犯了事，自是你来处置。”

The Emperor softly shook his head, “He was taken along by you, that was why We had made him the Steward. So now that he has made a mistake, you should handle it.”

“……皇上。”凌萧内心有些感动，皇帝虽然看起来冷冰冰的，却比什么人都细心。

“…Your Majesty.” Ling Xiao’s heart was a bit touched, although the Emperor always looked icy, he was much more attentive than anyone else.

细心的知道照顾自己的心情，明明是个不可一世的君王，却有着能溺死人一般的柔情。

So attentive as to take in account of his mood. He was obviously an unparalleled Sovereign King, yet carried such gentleness that could drown a person.

凌萧内心被打动，突觉自己对面前的帝王又多了几分喜欢。

Being so touched, a few more points of love toward him grew.

“朕既然应允了你共度一生的承诺，那有些事你也该知道了。”说着，皇帝微微推搡着凌萧，站了起来。

“Since We have promised to spend all of Our life with you, then there are some things you should know.” After he said that, he slightly pushed Ling Xiao and stood up.

“你处置了小李子，便来贤妃宫中罢，朕等你，也将在那里将红叶之事与你坦白。”

“After you deal with Xiao Lizi, come to Concubine Xian’s place to find Us. We will wait there for you and honestly tell you about the matter with Hong Ye.”

With his mind constantly on the Emperor, Ling Xiao had An Yong and An Xiang bring up the Xiao Lizi who fainted from fear. He was also very indifferent toward Xiao Lizi’s punishment. He felt strange, why did the Emperor must have him deal with Xiao Lizi then go to Concubine Xian’s palace? Wouldn’t it be better to go together?

“公子，主子是怕您一时气愤，处罚太过，到头来又后悔。”暗香似是瞧出了凌萧的心事，多嘴说了一句。

“Young Master, Master is afraid that you would punish him too excessively in your anger, then regret it.” An Xiang seem to have seen through worry and told him.

凌萧疑惑的望向暗香，暗香却自知失言一般抿紧了唇，低头不再开口。

Ling Xiao looked toward her in confusion, but An Xiang knew she had said too much and tightly kept her lips closed. Keeping her head low, she said no more.

凌萧苦笑：“我说，好暗香，你每次说话都一半一半的，不是让公子我白着急么？”

Ling Xiao bitterly smiled, “I need to say, you’re too good An Xiang. Every time you speak, you always just say things in halves, aren’t you just making me worry more?”

暗香咬唇：“可若奴婢说了，主子的苦心就白费了。”

An Xiang bit her lips, “But if this servant were to say it, then Master’s painstaking effort would go to waste.”

凌萧眉头跳了跳：“你已经开了个头，便算是说了，如今只剩两个选择，一个我押着小李子去见皇上，当面问他，一个是你自己说。”

Ling Xiao’s eyebrow twitched, “Since you’ve already said part of it, then keep talking. You only have two choices right now, the first one is I take Xiao Lizi with me to go see the Emperor and ask him myself. The other is for yourself to tell me.”

暗香苦着脸，懊恼的神情一览无遗。

An Xiang made a bitter face, her annoyance was plain to see.

凌萧也不急，静静的看着暗香，等她开口，他知道涉及到了皇帝，暗香怎么都会开口的。

Ling Xiao was also not in a hurry and peacefully looked at her, waiting for her to speak. He knew that once he involved the Emperor, she would always speak.

果然，暗香迟疑了片刻，缓缓说道：“公子，这小李子不是个好的，冉妃固然威逼了他，但实际上，他自己也防着您。”

As expected, An Xiang hesitated for a moment before slowly explaining, “Young Master, this Xiao Lizi isn’t a good one, although Concubine Ran did threaten him, he was also on guard against you.”

“He followed you and sneakily learned some of your skills and followed after Master. At that time, you and Master weren’t on such good terms. That Xiao Lizi was afraid of you being petty and blame him for climbing up to Master, and kept thinking how to limit your power. So he joined with Concubine Ran.”

“……”凌萧皱眉，其实这事自己心中也隐隐有了察觉，自己每次见到小李子都没有好脸色，也不外乎小李子会觉得自己小心眼会回头报复他。

“……” Ling Xiao frowned, actually, he already had a faint idea that it was like that. Every single time he saw Xiao Lizi, he never had a good face on. He did not blame Xiao Lizi for thinking he was petty and retaliate against him.

但实际上凌萧虽怨小李子不够忠诚，但他是唯一跟过自己的小太监，自己也真不会怪责他到哪里去，不然，他早已死了千百遍了。

In fact, Ling Xiao blamed Xiao Lizi for not being loyal enough. But he was just an eunuch that followed him before, he wouldn’t really do anything to him. Otherwise, Xiao Lizi would had died thousands of times long ago.

但小李子终究太蠢，并没有想过，自己要报复早已经报复，怎么会等到现在，他没有花心思让自己对他改观，反而，跟自己耍起了心眼。

Unfortunately, Xiao Lizi was too stupid in the end and didn’t think about how if he wanted to make reprisals, he would had done so long ago. Why would he wait until now? He did not work hard to change how he viewed him, rather, he decided to plot against him.

“即是如此，这跟冉妃红叶有什么关系，为何一定要自己先处置了他？”

“Even so, what does this have to do with Concubine Ran and Hong Ye? Why must he be handled first?”

“……”暗香为难的皱眉，几次张口又闭上，很难启齿的模样。

“……” An Xiang awkwardly frowned. She opened her mouths many times then closed it, having a very hard time speaking.

An Xiang clenched her teeth while being urged, “He didn’t just work with Concubine Ran, he also colluded with Hong Ye, trying to make Hong Ye Master’s new lover. Hong Ye tried over and over again to see Master and it was all because this Xiao Lizi informed her. There was also several times it was Xiao Lizi secretly strategizing how to make Master and Hong Ye meet ‘by chance’. He said outwardly how this Hong Ye was a troublesome individual, saying how it was Concubine Xian who was playing matchmaker with Hong Ye and Master. But in fact, in secret, it was him who was playing the real matchmaker between Hong Ye and Master.

“……”凌萧闻言，恶狠狠的盯着昏厥在地的小李子，咬牙道：“这些，皇上都知道？”

“……” Ling Xiao glared at the unconscious Xiao Lizi on the ground, clenched his teeth and asked, “Does the Emperor know all of this?”

暗香低头不语，答案已然在了凌萧的心中。

An Xiang kept her head down and did not speak, but the answer was also in Ling Xiao’s mind.

“他知道，为何还让小李子这般作为下去？为何不拒绝红叶的求见？”

“He knew, then why did he let Xiao Lizi continue? Why did he not refuse Hong Ye looking for him?”

An Xiang quickly knelt on the ground, “Young Master, please calm down! This was what Master was worried about, that you would be so angered at being deceived. Although you don’t say it, Xiao Lizi had followed you for some time, you have some friendship with him. He was afraid you would regret…”

“你放心，我不会后悔。”凌萧讽笑：“为了一个不忠诚的人，我还不至于后悔。”

“You don’t need to worry, I will not regret it.” Ling Xiao mockingly smiled, “For a unloyal person, I will not regret.”

说着，凌萧昂首道：“暗咏，把他送出宫，送出京城，此生都不准出我的面前。”

After he spoke, Ling Xiao head his head high as he ordered, “An Yong, send him out of the palace, out of the capital. In this life, he is not allowed to ever show himself in front of me.”

暗咏微叹了口气，轻声应道：“是。”

An Yong faintly sighed, then softly answered, “Yes.”

说完，凌萧不再看小李子一样，转身往贤妃宫殿而去。

After he finished speaking, Ling Xiao no longer looked at Xiao Lizi and turned away, walking for Concubine Xian’s palace.

皇帝到底跟贤妃和红叶什么关系，要这般护着她们，尤其是红叶，知晓在眼皮底下耍花样，皇帝还视而不见。

Just what kind of relationship does the Emperor have with Concubine Xian and Hong Ye for him to protect them like this? Especially Hong Ye, he knew that she was doing stuff behind him back, but the Emperor still turn a blind eye.

Tomorrow I have my first exam. My first exam is oral English where I will have to talk about a topic chosen by the teacher but I don’t know if I will be able to say anything but “Camping… New chapter… Me want new chapter!”

I feel like I’ve been tricked to eat energy bars when I’m hungry to last longer, and that said energy bars make me even hungrier because it’s filled with juicy titbits from top to bottom, but the filling is empty.

Thank you for the chapter!
Damn, but I think Ling Xiao is too lenient toward Xiao Lizi, I would have kill him or at least teach him a lesson. Frankly to bite the hands that feed you is just deserving death, what do you think would have happened to Ling Xiao if Concubine Ran succeed? She’s mostly like would have like to rip him apart, knowing that she doesn’t have a snowball chance in hell accomplishing that but the thought that he still betray Ling Xiao all the same. This is imperial harem, his one betrayal very well could spell death for Ling Xiao easily…and he didn’t just colluded with one faction, but almost EVERYONE that has any say in this harem. Yea..death for him..kicking him out of the palace is just too easy for him… I’m unsatisfied (／‵Д′)／~ ╧╧